Georgian government has started a program for the subsidization of viticulture. Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili announced the recent initiative during a meeting with grape producers in Telavi, (Kakheti region of East Georgia He stated that 8 million GEL will be allocated from the national budget for the purpose. The price of 25 tetri will be determined for each kilo of red grapes and 15 tetri for white grapes. “The state is capable of organizing an agricultural policy in order to protect peasants from damage,” stated the first official of the country. Despite his statements, the harvest is rotting in the villages of Samtatskaro, Firosmani, Sabatlo and other villages along the Alazani Embankment. The grapes ripen in the middle of august and now it is getting spoiled already. None of the wine-factories located in the region has started to accept grape.

On August 27 at 11:00 AM Paata Kardava, 45, disappeared under what may best be described as strange circumstances. Kardava worked on the Abkhazian division of the Military Intelligence Department within the Interior Ministry forty-five-year-old. The car driven by Kardava was discovered on the bridge linking the villages of Koki and Khurcha. There are several versions about the disappearance of Kardava but law enforcers and relatives have not found him in spite of all efforts. According to one of the versions, he is being kept in an isolator run by the security service department in Sokhumi, and he was being interrogated by representatives of the Russian FSB.

From September 8-10, the UN International Court (Hague Tribunal) will have an open discussion on the submitted suit of Georgia against the Russian Federation. Officially Rosalyn Higgins, the chairperson of the International Court has already confirmed back to Georgia as to the scheduling of the hearing. Georgia requests the international court to take all measures to prevent Russia from the continued discrimination of Georgian civilians that are under occupation within Georgian territory and to force Russia to stop its policy of ethnic cleansing, (and even killing of peaceful civilians), looting of towns and villages in Georgia, support of separatism and suppression of Georgian residents of Gali district and forcing ethnic Georgians in the entire conflict zone to make them obtain Russian citizenship. It is now possible that The Hague Court will follow up and satisfy the request of Georgia to consider initial activities in assisting Georgia at the very first hearing, which means the court will intervene in preventing Russia from acting against peace, human lives and health.

September 1st, the day of national unity of Georgia ended tragically. The human chain was broken at the village of Rukhi when a fast moving car hit a protester. One man died and several others were severely injured. Doctors failed to save Nata Jichonaia, 23. The drunk driver was Paata Kiria, a police officer.

Russian military helicopters are bombing Samegrelo with leaflets. The Russians dropped leaflets in village of Rukhi, Zugdidi District several days ago. Meanwhile, Russian armored vehicles, moving towards Enguri Central Bridge distributed leaflets among the local population. It was written in leaflets with blue fonts on white sheets of papers: “Inhabitants of Zugdidi District! Your safety is now in the hands of Russian peacekeepers!” The main motto of the peacekeepers was “We are at Peace”.

All of Georgia is united against alleged Russian aggression, and in light of the capture of South Ossetia and parts of Abkhazia, and as part of a larger public relations campaign, a human chain surrounded the whole country on September 1st to show Georgian outrage. There were no borders to this protest, and the action went far beyond the border of occupied Georgia. All the international community is charged with patriotic spirit. Those from all regions of Georgia prepared for this day in their own special way. We took a look over the action preparation process in Kutaisi, which is one of the largest cities in Western Georgia.

The majority of the population in Gori still remains without humanitarian aid. Residents of several districts in Gori have not seen any of the food products delivered by countries that are friends of Georgia. There are a small minority of people who have received aid three times a day while others have not been able to obtain anything whatsoever. Local authorities are blaming locals for the problem. According to the Human Rights Center’s information, high-ranking officials of the local government have even threatened people, who have expressed their discontent about the food distribution problem, claiming: “As soon as the Russian troops leave the territory we will teach you a very good lesson.”